Cooling device and method for intraoral device illumination source

Abstract

A method of using a heat sink device with an intraoral illumination device includes inserting an intraoral illumination device at least partially in a patient's mouth, connecting a heat sink device to the intraoral illumination device, the heat sink device including an illumination device that emits light and heat when activated and a heat sink member thermally coupled to the illumination device; activating the illumination device so that light is transmitted to the intraoral illumination device and into the patient's mouth, aspirating fluid from the patient's mouth at negative pressure; and causing aspirated fluid to flow past the heat sink member at negative pressure so that heat is removed from the heat sink member, causing the illumination device to be cooled.

1. A method of using a heat sink device with an intraoral illumination device, the method comprising:
 inserting an intraoral illumination device at least partially in a patient's mouth, the intraoral illumination device configured for illumination of and aspiration of fluid from the patient's mouth; 
 connecting a heat sink device to the intraoral illumination device, the heat sink device including an illumination device that emits light and heat when activated, a heat sink member thermally coupled to the illumination device, a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, a first lever for controlling aspiration flow through the first fluid channel, and a second lever for controlling aspiration flow through the second fluid channel; 
 activating the illumination device so that light is transmitted to the intraoral illumination device and into the patient's mouth, and heat is emitted from the illumination device, 
 aspirating fluid from the patient's mouth at negative pressure; 
 causing aspirated fluid to flow past the heat sink member at negative pressure so that heat is removed from the heat sink member, causing the illumination device to be cooled; 
 operating the first lever and the second lever for controlling aspiration flow through the first fluid channel and second fluid channel. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink member includes an illumination and vacuum suction head with a light pipe that couples with the intraoral illumination device, connecting includes coupling the light pipe to the intraoral illumination device, and the method further includes transmitting light from the illumination source to the illumination device through the light pipe. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink member includes a removable illumination stick with the illumination device and electronics for operating the illumination device. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the method includes using the illumination stick in the heat sink member for an intraoral application, replacing the illumination stick in the heat sink member with a different illumination stick for a different intraoral application, and using the different illumination stick in the same heat sink member for the different intraoral application. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is one or more white LEDs and the electronics are configured for controlling the one or more white LEDs for a general visibility application, and the method includes using the illumination stick to illuminate the patient's mouth for improved general visibility. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is one or more blue LEDs and the electronics are configured for controlling the one or more blue LEDs for a curing application, and the method includes using the illumination stick for curing material in the patient's mouth. 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is at least one of a blue LED and a white LED, and the electronics are configured for controlling the LED for teeth whitening, and the method includes using the illumination stick for whitening one or more of the patient's teeth. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is one or more LEDs and the electronics are configured for controlling the one or more LEDs for tooth translumination, and the method includes using the illumination stick for transluminating one or more of the patient's teeth. 
   
   
     9. A method of using a heat sink with an intraoral illumination device, the method comprising:
 providing a heat sink with one or more LEDs to illuminate the patients mouth through the intraoral illumination device, the one or more LEDs emitting heat when activated, the heat sink including a fluid delivery lumen for delivering aspirated cooling fluid under a vacuum condition in the region of the one or more LEDs, a first fluid channel, a second fluid channel, a first lever for controlling aspiration flow through the first fluid channel, and a second lever for controlling aspiration flow through the second fluid channel; 
 removing heat from the region of the one or more LEDs by causing aspirated fluid under a vacuum condition to flow through the region of the one or more LEDs; 
 operating the first lever and the second lever for controlling aspiration flow through the first fluid channel and second fluid channel. 
 
   
   
     10. A heat sink device for use with an intraoral illumination device configured for illumination of and aspiration of fluid from the patient's mouth, comprising:
 an illumination device including a first internal evacuation channel, a second internal evacuation channel, and configured to emit light and heat when activated; 
 a heat sink member thermally coupled to the illumination device and configured to receive aspirated fluid from the patient's mouth at negative pressure so that heat is removed from the heat sink member, causing the illumination device to be cooled; 
 a first fluid channel communicatively coupled to the first internal evacuation channel of the illumination device; 
 a second fluid channel communicatively coupled to the second internal evacuation channel of the illumination device; 
 a first lever for controlling aspiration flow through the first fluid channel and the first internal evacuation channel of the illumination device; 
 a second lever for controlling aspiration flow through the second fluid channel and the second internal evacuation channel of the illumination device. 
 
   
   
     11. The heat sink device of  claim 10 , wherein the heat sink member includes an illumination and vacuum suction head with a light pipe that couples with the intraoral illumination device for transmitting light from the illumination source to the illumination device. 
   
   
     12. The heat sink device of  claim 10 , wherein the heat sink member includes a removable illumination stick with the illumination device and electronics for operating the illumination device. 
   
   
     13. The heat sink device of  claim 12 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is one or more white LEDs and the electronics are configured for controlling the one or more white LEDs for a general visibility application. 
   
   
     14. The heat sink device of  claim 12 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is one or more blue LEDs and the electronics are configured for controlling the one or more blue LEDs for a curing application. 
   
   
     15. The heat sink device of  claim 12 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is at least one of a blue LED and a white LED and the electronics are configured for controlling the at least one LED for teeth whitening. 
   
   
     16. The heat sink device of  claim 12 , wherein the illumination device of the illumination stick is one or more LEDs and the electronics are configured for controlling the one or more LEDs for tooth translumination.